Electrical switch.



H. A. BEYNON.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1907.

V W v WM E0 3 m i m m v m a ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1907 Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

HARRY A. BEYNON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application filed May 11, 1907. Serial No. 373,146.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HARRY A. BEYNoN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of thecity of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrical Switches; and I do hereby declare that the followin is afull, clear, and exact description of t e same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical switches.

Heretofore in offices, factories, etc., where it is necessary for theemployees to move from book to book as in book or stock-keeping or forthe operator to move from bench to bench for different mechanical orother works, it isv necessary for the employee or operator to manuallyswitch on the electric light at each book or bench or switch on anindividual motor to operate the machines and which he should switch offagain on leaving to the next book or machine. I This however in manuallyoperated switches involves some inconvenience and loss of time and oftenthe lights or motors are left in operation when the employees oroperators arenot using the same thereby causing considerable expenditureand loss of current.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device adapted toautomatically make a circuit by the weight of the person using the lightor machine and which automatically breaks the circuit upon the weight ofthe user being removed.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device adapted tomake and break the circuit quickly or with asna thereby preventinginjurious effects ot erwise caused by arcing thus prolonging the life ofthe 1 contacts.

. independent book.

section of the actuating support with a snap It is a further object ofthis invention to provide an exceeding simple device which is cheap tomanufactureand install. j

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and morefully pointed out and defined in the appended claims. I

On the drawings; Figure 1 is a view illus trating devices embodied in myinvention applied to a plurality of lights each for an Fig. 2 is atransverse switch embodied in my invention secured therein. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the snapswitch. Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 6 is an end elevationof the same, with one of the binding posts broken away. Fig. 7 is a sideelevation with the actuating lever and mechanism omitted.

As shown in the drawings: A indicates lights each of which isappropriated to one of the ledgers A positioned convenient distancesapart upon the desk A Said lights are turned on independently by theweight of the operator upon the hinged support A which is similar to theone shown in my prior patent No. 828,373, dated Aug. 14th, 1906, andwhich comprises a lower board a to which is hinged a top board a andstrips (Z2-0/3 are secured to the top and bottom boards to limit theclosing thereof. A flexible covering a ofcanvas or other suitablematerial is secured to the top and bottom boards to 'prevent dirt andobstacles from getting between the boards and which limits the upwardmovement of the top board a as shown in Fig. 3. I c

The switch comprises a base B provided with suitable apertures toreceive the screws or bolts by which it is secured to the board a.Rigidly secured upon said base B is a slab B of suitable insulating andrefractory material upon which are rigidly secured tubular internallythreaded terminal posts b,-b each of which has a transverse aperturetherethrough to receive'the ends of the conducting wires and a screw isthreaded axially into each post to firmly bind said wires toinsure goodcontact.

A support 6 of suitable conducting material is rigidly secured on saidslab B and is electrically connected to said post I) b means of a strip6 which is secured beneat said post and to the support in any preferredmanner. As shownin Fig. 6,pivotallyseci 1red on said support is acontact bar 0 having one side thereof from about its middle beveled orslightly inclined inwardly to engage the contact'member c securedrigidly in'position on said slab for such engagement :by the post I).Secured on said base Bin any pre ferred manner is a standard D to whichis 1057 ivoted a bent lever E. A spring 2 is coiled intermediate itsends aroun'd an enlarged hub on the pivot d, and its ends are directedlight'and a machine or motor at which time Q oppositely and rigidly secured respectively to the u per and outer end of the leverE, and to tev base B, by anysuitable means to hold the u wardly directed end ofsaid lever normally e evated.

a ugf is ivoted to 'a lug f 3 on the standard b Said ever has its outerend f extending into position to beengaged by the insulating washer cand its opposite end f extends beneath the inner end of the contact barC and acts to give an initial impulse to the Fig. 3,

inner end of the contact bar, thereby coacting with the springfc tobreak the circuit ins'tanta'neousl A housing or casing G of suitableinsulating material is secured on said slab inany preferredmanner andincloses the contacts and mechanism except the lever-E. Said casing isprovided with notches for the lead Wires from the binding posts 12-7)and also a notch for the movement of the-pin e as shown in The operationis as follows: The ,base B is rigidly engaged to the bottom board a inany preferred manner and the lead wires con -nected. 1 In this positionthe upper end'of the lever E bears against the top board a,

normally holding the same elevated and the pin 0 exerts a downwardtension on the spring a which holds the outerend of the contact bardepressed in which position the inner end of the contact bar C and thecon tact care out of engagement. The. circuit remains open until theoperator or employee desires to useth'e' light or motor or both asaidop'erator steps upon the upper board a which may serveas a mat anthus forces the outer end of the lever E, downwardly.

This elevates the inner end of the lever and the pin e thereby exertinganupward ull on the springwhich sna s the outer en of V the .contact bar0 upwar throwing the inner end into engagement with the contact 0 inwhich position thecircuit is closed. The

light or machine will obviously remain in operation untilthe operatorleaves this desk or machine at which time the spring e having haditstension increased by the downward movement of the lever forces the deverto normal position. 7 Just before reaching normal position the washer con the pin 6 strikes the outer end of the lever F thereby throwing theinner end upwardly against the inner end of the contact bar C whichtogether with the tension on the spring a snaps said baout-loingagementwith the contact=c.'

prevents arcing which would otherwise soon cause ser ous m ury to thecontacts.

:The strips (t -a prevent the hinged support-q, from'closin more thansufiicient y. ,to actuate the switc By beveling the lower half of thecontact bar the same is self-adjusting for asthe bar bar is worn down sothat it in time becomes beveled or inclined to engage the contact 0 thusinsuring good contact. a

While I have shown my device applied to electric light circuits it isobvious that the same may be used in connection with motors in lieu of ahand switch and it is further seen light or machinethes'ame isautomatically switched off, thereby preventing any possible waste oflight or energy;

' Many detailsof construction invention and I therefore. do not urposelimiting this application for patent ot erwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim ,as my inventionf sulating slab, a "contact rigidly engagedthereto, a standard secured to the'slab, a pivoted contact bar securedto said standard,

to instantaneously break the circuit.

2.,In a device of the, class described the combination with a suitablebase of contacts thereon, one having abeveled face means make or breakthe circuit instantaneously comprisin an oscillating lever, pins, onesecured to tie, oscillatable contact and one to the lever, a springsecured at its ends to the ins, insulation on one ofsaid pins and 2.ever actuated by the insulated pin adapted at one end to engage theoscillating contact to impart an initial impulse thereto in breaking thecircuit. 4

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a-suitable suport of a contact secured thereon, a mova le contact bar supported onsaid-base, an operating lever pivoted on said base having an outer,-upwardly directed end, a spring connecting opposite ends of theoperating lever and con"- tact bar, a lever having one end positionedbeneath the contact bar, means secured at one end to the operating leverfor automatically actuating the last named lever 'to I shift said barout of contact instantaneously It is obvious the snap switchdescribedwhen pressure is released and a hinged sup-- port adapted tobear on the upwardly directed end of the operating lever.

1. ,An electrical switch comprising an inwears away the upper part ofthe side of the that immediately'the operator leaves" the may-be 'var1edand numerous changes may be made without departing from the principlesof this mechanismadapted by manual operation to contact bar and coactwith said mechanism adapted to oscillate one of saidlconta'cts to 4. Ina device of the class described the l slab, a contact bar pivoted to thestandard,

combination with a slab of postsisecured thereon, a contact memberrigidly secured to one of said posts, a contact bar electricallyconnected with the otherpost and pivoted to swing to engage the contactmember, said bar having a beveled face to engage the con tact member, alever having the outer end dlrected upwardly, spring connections betweenthe lever and contact bar, means operating the lever to actuate thecontact bar to close the circuit by the weight of an operator and aspring connected to the lever and the slab for automatically returningthe lever and last named means to normal.

In a device of the class described the combination with an insulatingsupport of posts and said support, a bent lever pivoted terminal postssecured thereon, a movable contact bar on said support, meanselectrically connecting'one of said posts and said bar, a contact membersecuredto the other post, a lever pivoted adjacent the contact bar, apin secured thereto, a spring connecting the pin and contact bar,insulation on the endof said pin and a pivoted lever adapted at one endfor engagement with the insulated end of the pin and at its o'ppositeend to strike one end of the contact bar to aid the spring ininstantaneously actuating the bar to break the circuit.

6. In a device of the class described the combination with terminalposts of a contact member connected with one post, a support, a contactbar pivoted thereon provided with a beveled face to engage the contactmember, a strip ofv conducting metal providing connections between one'of said terminal adjacent the contact bar having a vertically directedend, a pin secured to the lever, an

, insulatin washer on the end thereof, a pin secured to the contact bar,a spring connecting said pins, said lever adaptedto be actuated to swingsaid bar toengage the contact member and means automatically returningthe lever to normal to swing said bar out of engagement with the contactmember.

7. In a device of the class described the combination with a base of aninsulating slab supported thereon, terminal. posts secured to said slab,a standard secured to the means electrically connecting one of saidterminal posts and bar, a lever pivoted on the base provided with anupwardly directed end, operative connections between said lever andcontact bar adapted to move the contact bar to make and break thecircuit when said lever is actuated, means for manually operating thelever in making the circuit and a spring engaged at one end to the baseand engaged around the pivotand secured at its opposite end to theupwardlydirected end of said lever thereby automaticv ally returning thelever to normal.

8. In a device of the class described the combination with a base of aninsulating slab thereon, contacts supported thereby, one of which ismovable, a spring connected with the movable contact, mechanismactuating the spring to actuate the movable contact, to engage the othercontact, meansautomatically returning said mechanism to normal and alever actuated by a part of said mechanism to strike the contacting endof said movable contact and. coactine with the spring to snap themovable contact to normal position.

-9. In a device of the class described the combination with a base of aninsulating slab thereon, contacts supported thereby,

one of which is movable and normally out of contact with the other, aspring connected with the movable contact, mechanism actuating' thespring to actuate the movable cons tact tocngage the other contact,means automatically returning said mechanism to normal, a lever actuatedby a part of said mechanism when returning to normal to strike saidmovable contact and coacting with the spring to snap the movable contactto normal position, a housing or casing covering, the contacts and partof the' mechanism and a hinged support adapted to .bear

against the spring actuating mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

' HARRY A. BEYNON.

Witnesses:

K. E. HANNAH, J; W. ANGELL.

